Primary school admissions
The following information is for children starting Reception in 2020.
See also:
When can my child start school?
You can calculate the start year based on your child’s date of birth below:
| Start or transfer | Date of birth |
|---|---|
| Start Reception September 2022 | 1/9/2017 - 31/8/2018 |
| Start Reception September 2021 | 1/9/2016 - 31/8/2017 |
| Start Reception September 2020 | 1/9/2015 - 31/8/2016 |
| Start Reception September 2019 | 1/9/2014 - 31/8/2015 |
Applications for September 2020 start
Use the eAdmissions website from Saturday 1 September to apply online for your child’s primary (reception) or junior (Year 3) school place.
You can name up to six schools in your application including academy or free schools and schools in other council areas.
If you do not live within the borough you need to apply for a place through your own council and you can include Richmond schools in your application.
The closing date is Wednesday 15 January 2020.
If you have any difficulty completing your application, please contact the School Admissions Team.
Important
You must still apply for reception class even if your child already attends the nursery at your preferred primary school.
Before you apply
Please read before applying:
- Personal Information Policy and validity of information given
- Primary School Admissions brochure
(pdf, 1.85 MB) (2020 version to be added soon) - Frequently asked questions about starting school (pdf, 252 KB)
- How places were allocated at community schools in the past three years (pdf, 207 KB)
When making your application in eAdmissions you should:
- Complete a separate application for each child if you are applying for twins or triplets
- Tell us in your application if your child will have a brother or sister (sibling) attending your preferred school(s) in September 2020
Certain schools need additional information to apply their admissions criteria and may require you to also complete a Supplementary Information Form. For example, schools that prioritise applications by faith. If you are applying for this type of school, please check the school's website for further information and to download a Supplementary Information Form.
If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or a Statement of Special Education Needs, you don't need to complete the application.
Applying for an in-year place
If you're not applying for a Reception or year three place in September 2020 you should read our in-year admissions information.
Application outcome
If you have not been offered your highest school preference, you may find it helpful to read Primary admissions 2019 (pdf, 284 KB) or Junior admissions 2019 (pdf, 185 KB) (2020 versions to be added soon), which include frequently answered questions. If you have further enquiries, which cannot be found in these notes, please feel free to contact the Admissions Team
Online
If you applied online:
- You will be sent an email during the evening of Thursday 16 April 2020 to tell you the outcome of your application. The availability of results for viewing will be staggered to assist demand, so precise timings cannot be guaranteed. You will also be able to view this by logging in to the eAdmissions website.
- Use the eAdmissions website to tell us if you wish to accept or refuse the school place your child has been offered. The deadline to do this is 30 April 2020. Submitting your response online guarantees that the school knows your decision.
- If your child did not qualify for a place at your first preference school, you will also be sent a letter by first class post on Thursday 16 April 2020 with more information about the process and what to do next.
Paper
If you applied on a paper form:
- A letter containing the outcome will be sent to parents/carers by first class post on Thursday 16 April 2020.
- Please use the reply slip sent with your letter to tell us if you wish to accept or refuse the school place your child has been offered. The deadline to do this is 30 April 2020. Returning your reply by the deadline guarantees that the school knows your decision.
Your right to appeal
You have a legal right to appeal against a decision not to offer your child a place at any or all of the schools that you've applied to. You can appeal for a place at your preferred school even though your child may have a place somewhere else.
The process
The admissions authority for the school you're applying to must explain why your child hasn't been offered a place at that school. They must also explain how you can appeal against this decision.
Your appeal will be heard by a panel which is independent of the school and the admissions authority whose decision you're appealing against. You've the right to attend the hearing to explain your case to the independent appeal panel.
There are strict rules around the appointment of the appeal panel members to ensure their impartiality and independence. The panel's decision has to be accepted by the admissions authority and the school.
You may find it helpful to read the guidelines on the appeal process on the admission appeals page.
Appeals timetable - infant, junior, primary
For community schools, the deadline to lodge an appeal is Friday 22 May 2020 (this must be at least 20 school days from the offer date). Appeals for these schools will be heard during June and/or July 2020. Please download an appeal form or email education.appeals@richmond.gov.uk.
For the appeals timetable for any academy, voluntary aided and foundation school, please contact the school directly.
Contact School Admissions
Ensure you have read all of the content on this page, as well as the relevant FAQs, before contacting the team.
The School Admissions Team
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Education and Children's Services
Guildhall 2
High Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1EU
Telephone: 020 8547 5569
Email: richmond.admissions@achievingforchildren.org.uk
The School Admissions Team can be contacted by telephone between the hours of 9am and 2pm Monday to Friday.